Man dies after being found injured outside Family Bowl

Waterford — A 34-year-old local man died Friday after he was found seriously injured in the parking lot of the Waterford Family Bowl at around 8:40 p.m., police Lt. Dave Burton said.

Police would not say what the man, a Waterford resident, died of. But Burton said the man had a serious chest wound and was taken to Lawrence & Memorial Hospital. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, Burton said.

Family Bowl owner Jerry Picardi said a customer leaving the bowling alley ran back inside to report that a man was lying dead in the parking lot. Picardi was told the man had been shot.

Local police were awaiting the arrival of the state police Eastern District Major Crime Squad and representatives of the State's Attorney's Office Friday night, Burton said.

Picardi said the man wasn't a customer, and he didn't believe the man was injured outside the Family Bowl, at 120 Boston Post Road. Customers in the outdoors bar area didn't report hearing any gunshots or disturbances, he said.

A Hess gas station, the Waterford Pizza Palace and a Webster Bank surround the lot, which is across the street from a busy plaza that contains a Stop & Shop supermarket, a McDonald's and an A&P liquor store.

A portion of the bowling alley parking lot was cordoned off with police tape Friday night. A large pool of blood was visible next to the open driver's side door of a still-running black Ford Focus. The driver's side window was rolled halfway down, and the car appeared to have been haphazardly parked.

Picardi said he has no security cameras outside the bowling alley.

Burton would not confirm whether any weapons were found at the scene, and he said there have been no arrests or suspects identified. The man's identity is known, he said, but will not be released until his family is notified.

It could take all night to analyze the parking lot crime scene, Burton sai. The investigation remains active.